View all text of Subchapter V [§ 5541 - § 5550b]
§ 5545b. Pay for firefighters
(a) This section applies to an employee whose position is classified in the firefighter occupation in conformance with the GS–081 standard published by the Office of Personnel Management, and whose normal work schedule, as in effect throughout the year, consists of regular tours of duty which average at least 106 hours per biweekly pay period.
(b)
(1) If the regular tour of duty of a firefighter subject to this section generally consists of 24-hour shifts, rather than a basic 40-hour workweek (as determined under regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management), section 5504(b) shall be applied as follows in computing pay—
(A) paragraph (1) of such section shall be deemed to require that the annual rate be divided by 2756 to derive the hourly rate; and
(B) the computation of such firefighter’s daily, weekly, or biweekly rate shall be based on the hourly rate under subparagraph (A);
(2) For the purpose of sections 5595(c), 5941, 8331(3), and 8704(c), and for such other purposes as may be expressly provided for by law or as the Office of Personnel Management may by regulation prescribe, the basic pay of a firefighter subject to this subsection shall include an amount equal to the firefighter’s basic hourly rate (as computed under paragraph (1)(A)) for all hours in such firefighter’s regular tour of duty (including overtime hours).
(c)
(1) If the regular tour of duty of a firefighter subject to this section includes a basic 40-hour workweek (as determined under regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management), section 5504(b) shall be applied as follows in computing pay—
(A) the provisions of such section shall apply to the hours within the basic 40-hour workweek;
(B) for hours outside the basic 40-hour workweek, such section shall be deemed to require that the hourly rate be derived by dividing the annual rate by 2756; and
(C) the computation of such firefighter’s daily, weekly, or biweekly rate shall be based on subparagraphs (A) and (B), as each applies to the hours involved.
(2) For purposes of sections 5595(c), 5941, 8331(3), and 8704(c), and for such other purposes as may be expressly provided for by law or as the Office of Personnel Management may by regulation prescribe, the basic pay of a firefighter subject to this subsection shall include—
(A) an amount computed under paragraph (1)(A) for the hours within the basic 40-hour workweek; and
(B) an amount equal to the firefighter’s basic hourly rate (as computed under paragraph (1)(B)) for all hours outside the basic 40-hour workweek that are within such firefighter’s regular tour of duty (including overtime hours).
(d)
(1) A firefighter who is subject to this section shall receive overtime pay in accordance with section 5542, but shall not receive premium pay provided by other provisions of this subchapter.
(2) For the purpose of applying section 7(k) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to a firefighter who is subject to this section, no violation referred to in such section 7(k) shall be deemed to have occurred if the requirements of section 5542(a) are met, applying section 5542(a) as provided in subsection (f) of that section: Provided, That the overtime hourly rate of pay for such firefighter shall in all cases be an amount equal to one and one-half times the firefighter’s hourly rate of basic pay under subsection (b)(1)(A) or (c)(1)(B) of this section, as applicable.
(3) The Office of Personnel Management may prescribe regulations, with respect to firefighters subject to this section, that would permit an agency to reduce or eliminate the variation in the amount of firefighters’ biweekly pay caused by work scheduling cycles that result in varying hours in the regular tours of duty from pay period to pay period. Under such regulations, the pay that a firefighter would otherwise receive for regular tours of duty over the work scheduling cycle shall, to the extent practicable, remain unaffected.
(4) Notwithstanding section 8114(e)(1), overtime pay for a firefighter subject to this section for hours in a regular tour of duty shall be included in any computation of pay under section 8114.
(Added Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, § 101(h) [title VI, § 628(a)(2)], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–480, 2681–519; amended Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(3) [title VI, § 641(a)], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A–169.)